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David Norris has exclusively told Football FanCast that Kalvin Phillips isn’t even considering leaving Leeds and hinted that the midfielder could become a one-club man.

Phillips has only played one season in the Premier League but has risen to fame over recent weeks following some outstanding performances for England at Euro 2020.

Having established himself as a key part of Gareth Southgate’s plans, the 25-year-old has played every minute at the tournament, striking up an impressive partnership with West Ham’s Declan Rice.

But whilst his form is excellent news for Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa heading into next season, there has already been talk of him potentially leaving this summer.

According to TuttoJuve, Juventus are one side that are looking to prise Phillips away from Elland Road this summer.

However, former Leeds midfielder Norris told Football FanCast that he’s not worried about Phillips’ future and even suggested that he could remain with the Yorkshire outfit for his whole career:

“We’ve seen it with Kane, he’s stayed with Spurs, it’s his club and he’s a legend with the fans. But his is coming to the end now, if he wants to win something he must move on.

“With Kalvin, it’s still early days, Leeds are progressing, he’s still progressing, so it doesn’t feel like anything needs to be done drastically soon.

“Potentially, depending on how Leeds progress, he could stay there and become a one-club man, with the relationship he’s got. But for now, he doesn’t want to leave, they don’t need to sell.”

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has told Sky Sports that it is ‘unlikely’ he’ll have any of his injured players back against St Johnstone.

The Lowdown: St Mirren struggle

The Hoops failed to back up their Hampden Park triumph in the Scottish Premiership after being held to a surprise 0-0 draw with St Mirren.

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Postecoglou was without Joe Hart, David Turnbull and hero Kyogo Furuhashi from the League Cup final, while Carl Starfelt was suspended.

Celtic failed to make a breakthrough despite having 31 shots and 83% possession, with St Mirren missing 11 players due to Covid-19. That result leaves the Hoops six points behind rivals Rangers, with one final game before the winter break.

The Latest: Sky Sports post

Sky Sports shared an interview with Postecoglou on Twitter ahead of the trip to St Johnstone, which is available to view here.

The Hoops manager was asked if there were any further updates on those who missed St Mirren and if they would be available for Boxing Day, to which he said:

“Unlikely with the short turnaround. We might get one or two but at this stage I think it’ll be a similar sort of team that went out last night.”

The Verdict: Worrying…

Celtic struggled without top scorer Furuhashi and the creative Turnbull, and it appears as if they could be without them once more in what is a crucial game prior to the winter break.

They won’t want Rangers’ lead to stretch any further ahead of their meeting on February 2, meaning they’ll need to find a way to score despite being without a number of attacking players.

Liel Abada was used in a central position against St Mirren but didn’t have a single shot on goal, so perhaps Postecoglou will tinker with his setup.

He could use attacking midfielder Tom Rogic in a false nine role, as he did recently against Motherwell with Turnbull, which would then allow Abada to return to a natural wide role. Postecoglou doesn’t have many options, though, with Celtic desperate to get back to winning ways on Sunday.

In other news: ‘Get that done in January’ – Celtic pundit buzzes at transfer insider’s Parkhead update. 

Liverpool are plotting a summer move for highly-rated young midfielder Jude Bellingham.

What’s the story?

According to reports in Spain, both the Reds and their rivals Manchester City are interested in signing the English midfielder who is currently playing his trade in Germany at Borussia Dortmund.

The young star has been a target for several top clubs in the past, including Spanish giants Real Madrid, so there should be a huge battle for his signature.

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It’s thought Dortmund may value him at a staggering £101m.

Premier League legend Roy Keane has described Bellingham’s potential as “scary”.

He could be better than Thiago

The 18-year old would be a perfect new addition to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side who need to plan ahead for the future when the likes of Jordan Henderson and Thiago will become too old.

Bellingham could eventually be a natural successor to Thiago and could be a focal point of the club for years to come.

He has made £22.5m in 2020.

When you look at his possession stats you can see just how much he contributes going forward for Dortmund. He is in the top 3% across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for touches in and carries into the attack penalty area.

His passes into the 18-yard box total 27 so far this season compared to Thiago’s 13.

But as with any Klopp side you have to be willing to work hard and trackback defensively. This is something that Bellingham also has in his locker as proven for both club and country.

The Englishman has made more tackles and blocks than Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho this season, and leads the way for his current club in these categories.

He is also in the top 3% across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pressures in the attacking third, clearly showing that he is able to match the high pressing style that is a signature tactic at Anfield.

If Liverpool were to capture him then it would be a major coup and would massively improve their strength in depth.

Soon Bellingham will have a big decision to make, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wanted to move to the Premier League having never played in it before, but which team would he choose?

IN other news: Liverpool linked with Arda Guler transfer swoop…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to instantly bounce back from Sunday’s disappointing defeat when they head to the northwest for a Carabao Cup Round of 16 tie at Turf Moor.

The north London outfit were beaten by local rivals West Ham United in the Premier League, so Nuno Santo will be looking to see a reaction as they look to reach the quarter-finals of the cup competition with a win over Sean Dyche’s Burnley.

With Manchester United on the horizon, though, the Portuguese may be tempted into making some changes to his starting XI, if the poor result last weekend hadn’t already given him some food for thought.

With that in mind, here’s the lineup we’re predicting tonight…

There could be as many as nine changes from the side which was defeated at the London Stadium.

Between the sticks, cup ‘keeper Pierluigi Gollini is likely to take the reins from captain and first-choice Hugo Lloris, as he often has done away from the Premier League.

He’ll be marshalled by a completely different back four to Sunday, with Ben Davies and Japhet Tanganga replacing Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal out wide, whilst Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez could allow rests to both Eric Dier and Cristian Romero.

Oliver Skipp could be one of two players to keep his place, though this time he’ll be partnered by Harry Winks at the base of the engine room, with Giovani Lo Celso going into the no.10 role.

Out wide, Heung-min Son is granted a rest, so 20-year-old Bryan Gil is handed another opportunity to impress from the off. The Spanish winger, dubbed a “big talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, has been restricted to just 57 minutes in the league since joining Spurs in the summer.

On the other flank, Steven Bergwijn starts over Lucas Moura, as the Dutch winger needs to get up to speed after injury.

Elsewhere, Harry Kane is the only other player to remain from Sunday, and that’s largely because of the lack of options available to Nuno. It may not be wise to play 17-year-old Dane Scarlett against a physically brutal side like the Clarets.

AND in other news, Spurs handed frustrating Dusan Vlahovic update…

Rangers got back to winning ways after two straight defeats in all competitions as they won away from Ibrox at the weekend.

The Gers smashed St. Mirren 4-0 in the Premiership as Kemar Roofe scored a hat-trick and Joe Aribo got in on the act with a stunning finish from distance.

It was a fantastic result for Gio van Bronckhorst’s side and one player who may have enjoyed it more than most was centre-back Leon King.

The academy defender came on to replace Filip Helander in the 45th minute for what was only his second Premiership appearance for Rangers and his first of the 2021/22 campaign.

As per SofaScore, he completed 87% of his attempted passes, including six of his ten long passes, and made three clearances as he helped the side to a clean sheet. It was a solid showing from the 18-year-old and one that may give van Bronckhorst plenty of food for thought heading into the summer.

Just imagine him & Souttar

With Connor Goldson’s contract expiring at the end of the season, King could be the natural heir to his centre-back throne.

John Souttar is set to join on a free transfer from Hearts later this year and the 25-year-old can be the perfect partner for the young Scot at Ibrox. In the Scottish top-flight this season, he has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.33 across 26 appearances.

He has consistently delivered on the pitch as he has won a whopping 71% of his duels whilst making four clearances per game. These statistics prove that he is a defensively dominant tank who can get the better of his opponent more often than not in matches, which makes him the perfect player to pair with a youngster making his way through.

Souttar’s dominance can carry King through matches to aid his development, allowing the teenager to settle into a first-team role before shouldering more responsibility.

After the St. Mirren clash, van Bronckhorst hailed the defender’s potential as he said: “He has so much quality but also a lot of room to improve.

“But that’s because he’s a young player and I’m happy he’s making the progress now.”

This highlights the scope for development King has and why he should be partnered with Souttar to learn from him, as the Hearts man has proven that he can excel in the Premiership.

The 18-year-old can save Ross Wilson millions by replacing Goldson and stepping up to the mark next season, just as he did in his 45 minutes on Sunday.

AND in other news, Big blow: Rangers dealt worrying injury setback that’ll leave Van Bronckhorst gutted…

Liverpool are reportedly amongst a host of clubs monitoring the situation of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his engine room options.

What’s the story?

According to reliable journalist Christian Falk, who is the head of football for German outlet Sport Bild, the Reds have joined fellow Premier League sides Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal in taking a close look at the highly-rated 18-year-old.

However, Falk also revealed that Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are leading the race for Wirtz’s signature ahead of a possible move in 2023.

He tweeted: TRUE @ManCity scout Florian Witz (18) intensely. Also @ChelseaFC @LFC @ManUtd and @Arsenal are interested. But: @FCBayern is leading the race for a Transfer in 2023″.

Jurgen Klopp would love him

Wirtz was awarded his first-team debut at just 16 thanks to his natural physical prowess and immense talent and has gone from strength to strength ever since, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists in 53 appearances for Leverkusen.

The youngster appears to have taken his already impressive game to another level this season, though. In just six outings for Gerardo Seoane’s charges, the attacking midfielder has bagged five goals, laying on a further four assists for his teammates.

His outstanding displays for the BayArena outfit have attracted the attention of several sides, although Wirtz’s immediate future appears to lie with the eternal bridesmaids as Wirtz is reportedly happy to stay at Leverkusen in the short term.

Nevertheless, with Liverpool’s squad in need of some younger, fresher legs and Klopp preferring to work with a smaller squad full of versatile players, the German tactician would surely love to bring his compatriot to Anfield in the near future.

Wirtz is comfortable in a variety of positions having played as a No.8, No.10, left-winger and striker throughout his short career, an attribute which will be extremely appealing to Klopp.

It remains to be seen whether director of football Michael Edwards can pull off another transfer masterclass and secure Wirtz’s signature, but if he can, it would surely go down as one of his best pieces of business.

And, in other news…3 key passes: Liverpool beast who took 100 touches excelled on the European stage 

Arsenal have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their return to Premier League action this evening…

What’s the latest?

The Gunners kickstart the new season with a trip to top-flight newcomers Brentford, but manager Mikel Arteta will be without the services of first-choice defender Gabriel Magalhaes after he suffered an injury during international duty with Brazil, where he clinched a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

An announcement on the club’s official website revealed the extent of the issue and it appears that the 23-year-old will be out until next month at the very earliest.

“Right knee. Gabriel sustained an injury to his right knee whilst with the Brazilian Olympic Squad. Gabriel continues to be assessed and is aiming to be back in training by early September.”

Not an ideal start

In his absence, £50m summer signing Ben White could be vying for his debut, whilst Rob Holding and Pablo Mari are also in contention to start.

With Thomas Partey and Eddie Nketiah also ruled out, Arteta is already facing a frustrating injury crisis before a ball has even been kicked. The pair suffered problems during the friendly against Chelsea a few weeks ago and neither of the three will play any part on the opening day.

Gabriel’s injury is particularly disappointing and will surely come as the biggest blow as Arteta is going to be without his no.1 centre-back for the first month of the season, where he’ll be expecting a reaction to last season’s lowly eighth-place finish.

The £22.5m-rated colossus started 22 of his 23 appearances in the Premier League last season and was arguably one of the Gunners’ best options at the back.

Of all Arteta’s central defensive options, his WhoScored average of 6.73 was only just bettered by Holding (6.79), whilst he was second to Mari for aerial duels won (2.5) per game and first for interceptions (1.1) per game.

The Spanish head coach could well be worried heading into kickoff after this fresh injury setback.

AND in other news, Arsenal “in talks” to sign £27m-rated “rare talent”, Edu could find their next Vieira…

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has spoken of his delight at Junior Firpo’s ‘crucial’ return from injury for the Whites.

The Lowdown: Firpo makes injury return

The left-back moved to Elland Road from Barcelona in the summer but his time at the club has been injury-plagued so far.

Firpo has only managed six appearances in the Premier League, and five starts, meaning Stuart Dallas has had to slot into an auxiliary role at times.

Fortunately, the 25-year-old is now back fit again and may be expected to feature in Sunday’s trip to Tottenham, as Marcelo Bielsa’s side look to make it four league matches unbeaten – the Spaniard is still working on his match fitness but has recovered from his injury, per BBC’s Adam Pope.

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The Latest: Mills delighted with news

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Leeds man now BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Mills spoke of his happiness at the news, saying it will bring a much-needed balance back to the Whites team:

“It’s all about balance, that’s the most important thing. To have a left-footed player on the left-hand side makes a world of difference and is vitally important.

“Having your strongest players back is crucial.”

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The Verdict: Big boost for Leeds

Firpo may not have set the world alight yet for Leeds but his return is an undoubted boost, with his left foot bringing a natural balance to the side, as Mills alludes to.

Dallas will always do a job but the former Barcelona man can offer more natural attacking thrust from left-back and could give the Whites an extra attacking dimension at Spurs, having averaged one key pass per game in the league this season.

It is a further sign that Leeds’ injury problems are easing, and the sooner they can have their strongest team available, the faster they will hopefully rise up the table.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly preparing a bid for one player. Find out who it is here.

Many Everton fans have been left reacting to some comments that have emerged from Rafa Benitez on Fabian Delph.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match away at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, the Spaniard said (via Toffee TV) with regards to the player: “He has the right mentality, the right attitude. I have to stop him in the training sessions because he’s pushing very hard.”

The comments came as a bit of a surprise to some members of the Goodison Park faithful, given that he has not really lived up to the £8.55m price tag that they paid City to sign him for, missing a lot of games through injury and only managing to make a mere 33 appearances in total over all competitions across the last three seasons, scoring no goals and making no assists (Transfermarkt).

As such, some supporters of the Merseyside club have previously called for him to be sold, and so the comments about his mentality and attitude in training have come as a shock.

Everton fans on Delph comments

These Toffees gave their reactions to the comments as they were shared on Twitter:

“Are these the same training sessions where Iwobi is a world beater?”

Credit: @martinhughgreen

“Lol, he’s just trolling us now”

Credit: @melbourne1973

“Is this because his contract is up in the summer?”

Credit: @danblue1980

“That’s who’s injuring everyone then”

Credit: @Hawthorne_EFC

“He will have to be a one man hurricane THIS weekend. It’s the hope that…”

Credit: @Botony

“Here we go”

Credit: @Tommy_D_1878

In other news, find out what early team news has Blues raging here!

Journalist Alex Massie has revealed his anger with Glasgow Rangers’ new policy to charge reporters up to £25,000 a year to cover the club.

The Lowdown: Gers share new policy

The Gers have taken a decision to stop the mainstream media from having unbridled access to the club as they aim to cover the Gers.

The 55-time Scottish champions are set to charge up to £25,000 a year to cover the Gers, a fee which would also grant reporters access to a number of exclusive interviews (The Daily Mail).

The Latest: Massie angry

Massie, a journalist for The Times, has shared his anger with this new policy. He took to Twitter to say:

“Astonishing, yet also unsurprising: Rangers want to charge newspapers £25,000 a year for the privilege of sending a reporter to Ibrox to report on games. You get a handful of player interviews too, plus one chat with the manager. Absurd.”

The Verdict: Certainly questionable

The Gers have certainly taken an unprecedented move. To charge journalists fees to cover the club shows a certain sense of fear, or at least annoyance, at how they may be covered. Of course, they do have a reason for that to a certain extent – Club 1872 even lodged an IPSO complaint after an article from The Daily Record, and fans have been frustrated regularly by the manner in which the mainstream media in Scotland report on the club.

It remains to be seen whether the Gers decide to remove their policy as the season progresses, but for now it will be difficult for journalists to cover Rangers as they previously have. Perhaps the Ibrox outfit are the first club amongst plenty to take the matter of coverage into their own hands, and we will see others follow suit in the near future.

In other news, Rangers fans were delighted with this man’s performance against Real Madrid.